Godric's Inn
by I'mjustaGirl1
Summary: Hermione and Severus are damaged. Can they fix each other? A story about recovering, unexpected love, and taking your fate into your own hands.
1. Chapter 1

Hermione lay on her side, facing away from her husband. Ron snored loudly, startling her out of her thoughts. She rolled over, and looked at him, hoping to feel something. She wanted to feel the love that she had felt in their early days as a couple. She wanted to feel _anything_ for Ron, but she just couldn't find it within herself.

Hermione was _bored-_ that was the bottom line. She was bored of Ron, she was bored of their married life, and she was bored of living in a passionless, loveless marriage. She rolled onto her back, knowing that she would be unable to sleep that night- as usual. She stepped out of bed quietly, not wanting to wake Ron. Hermione pulled her robe over herself as she left the room.

After making herself a cup of tea, she stepped onto the patio, breathing the cool fall air, immediately feeling refreshed. Hermione Weasley was unhappy with her life, in a way that was suffocating, constricting, and numbing. She sipped her tea quietly as she reflected on her marriage.

_Ron got down on one knee, awkwardly fumbling with a box that he pulled out of his pocket. Hermione thought he was utterly adorable as he stumbled over his words, shakily asking, in front of all of their family and friends, "Hermione. I-er I love you. Marry me?" Hermione tearfully said yes, and they celebrated with their loved ones. They were so happy._

_Hermione walked down the aisle in the backyard of the Burrow, Harry on her arm. He agreed to give her away after Hermione discovered her parents' deaths. She was devastated, but she shoved her feelings deep and covered them inside her, not wanting to think about it. She focused on a nervous looking Ron at the end of the aisle. He grinned at her shakily as they reached him. Harry kissed her cheek and placed her hand in Ron's. Her heart pumped wildly as she turned to the man she loved, the man she was about to marry._

_They fought about what she was going to do. Hermione wanted to get a job at the ministry, but Ron wanted her to stay home and take care of the house, like his mother. He wanted them to have children immediately, but she was simply not ready. In the end, they'd reached a compromise. Hermione would work part-time at the ministry as a secretary, and would take care of the home. They wouldn't have children until they were both ready._

_It's been a four-year battle. Ron consistently pushes her to agree to have children, especially after Harry and Ginny had James. Hermione loved children, and she loved James, but she couldn't stop herself from casting the contraception charm every time they had sex. Which, admittedly, happened less and less frequently. _

Hermione no longer felt like herself. She wasn't the type of woman to be a homemaker, a secretary, settling for less than she was. She wasn't that type of woman, but she found herself doing exactly that. She was a second-rate version of herself, a shadow of what she used to be.

Tears rolled down her face as she rested her forehead on her knees, cradling them to her chest. The tears began rolling, and she felt as if a dam broke, something deep within her snapped. Her silent tears turned to sobs, and she felt unable to catch her breath. She cried about her marriage and her life, and she couldn't stop. Hermione kept getting louder and louder, unable to muffle her heart-wrenching sounds. She heard the door open, and jumped as she felt Ron's hand on her shoulder. She cringed away from his touch, and sobbed harder.

"'Mione? What happened? Are you hurt?" Ron tried to touch her again, but she jumped up and stepped away from him. She looked at him with red eyes and a tear-swollen face, and she knew what she had to do. Ron stepped towards her, but she shook her head softly. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

"Goodbye, Ron." With that, she dissapparated, leaving a confused Ron in her wake.

Hermione looked around, trying to understand where she was. She didn't think before dissapparating, and she didn't really know where she was. The surroundings were familiar, but strange all at once. The streets were empty, and she estimated it to be about four in the morning. She shivered, remembering that she was in her bathrobe. She looked across the street, seeing a small inn. She quickly walked inside, hoping they had an available room. The counter was empty, and she looked around the homey lobby. She rang the bell on the countertop, and a witch appeared, looking groggy.

She smiled kindly at Hermione. "Hello, dear. Would you like a room?" Hermione nodded. "How long will you be staying in Godric's Inn?"

"Godric's Inn? Are we in Godric's Hollow?" Hermione asked with a voice raw from crying, surprised. She hadn't truly thought about this village since she'd been here with Harry, before the Final Battle. The witch gave her a puzzled look.

"Of course, dear, where else would we be? Now how long will you be staying with us?

"I-I'm not sure. I j-just left my husband, I don't have anywhere else to go." Hermione's voice shook as she thought about her situation. It was true; she didn't have anywhere to go. Harry's was out of the question- he couldn't be put in the middle of this. Also, he would tell Ron where she was, and she needed to be away from him. The witch put her hand on Hermione's forearm, looking at her with sad eyes.

"Oh, you poor thing. You can stay as long as you need. We will work out a price with the Inn owner. You just wait here, I'll go find him." The witch walked into a back room. A few minutes later, she returned, a dark figure following behind her. As the figure stepped into the light, Hermione gasped with recognition.

Severus Snape.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione gasped as Snape stepped out of the shadows. She hadn't seen him since the war. The last she'd heard, he had been released from St. Mungo's, and she'd heard nothing since. He looked almost just as he had at Hogwarts, except his hair was slightly longer, tied back with a few strands falling in his face. She saw the scar on his neck and blushed, bringing her gaze back to his face.

His face was stoic as he looked at her, his shock of seeing Hermione only betrayed by a quirk of his brow.

"Miss Granger," he drawled, in the deep, smooth voice of his, "I hear that you need a room, for an indefinite amount of time. You may stay here, but there are rules. I do not like to be disrupted. If you need anything, just ring the bell, and Wanda will help you. You do not need to pay up front, but we do expect that the amount will be paid in full at the end of your stay. Most importantly, I ask for your discretion. I do not want the press to know where I am, as I value my privacy. If this is betrayed I shall ask you to leave immediately, and I will use force. Do you agree Miss Granger?"

She swallowed. "W-Weasley. My name is Weasley." He raised an eyebrow, a small smirk on his face. Oh, right. Wanda must have informed him of her… situation. She blushed "at least right now. I suppose that will change. Yes, Professor, I agree."

"I'm hardly a professor anymore, Miss… Weasley. You may call me Severus. Goodnight." With that, he swept from the room, leaving Hermione staring after him, still in shock at his presence.

Wanda pulled out a paper for her to sign, and then gave her a large old-fashioned key. She led Hermione to her room, and showed her inside. The room was lovely, full of warm beiges and earth tones. Soft, rich fabrics were used to cover the windows and bed. There was a small sitting area next to a fireplace, with a bookshelf filled of a small assortment of books. It was simple, but elegant. Hermione thanked Wanda, knowing that she was going to like the older woman.

"Alright dear, just ring me if you need me. We serve breakfast in the dining room at 9 am, so I hope to see you then. Goodnight, sweetheart." She patted Hermione's shoulder and left the room.

Hermione shakily sat down on the bed, thinking about the events of that night. She'd done it. She'd left Ron. Just like that, all the weight that had been suffocating her was lifted- she could _breathe _again. She knew that she should feel sad, but she didn't. She'd felt so sad for so long, all she felt now was relief. She lay back on the bed, feeling a smile on her face as sleep overtook her.

When Hermione woke the next morning, she took in her unfamiliar surroundings. She was confused at first, but then she remembered. She got out of bed, and took a shower. Realizing she only had what she was wearing, she transfigured her clothes into something more suitable. She dried her hair, and put her curls into a loose ponytail.

She walked through the lobby into the small dining room. Hermione was surprised to see Snape sitting at the one table in the room, reading a book. There was a plate next to him, in front of an empty seat. As she walked into the room, Snape glanced up to her, indicating the empty seat with his chin. She gave him a small smile, sitting down quietly. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, studying his face. He was scarred, but not in an unattractive way. He wasn't a handsome man, but he was… dignified, for a lack of better term. She started when she saw his black eyes looking at her. He raised an eyebrow and cleared his throat.

"May I help you, Miss Weasley?" She blushed.

"Hermione, please… Sir. Um. What are you reading?" He smirked, and held up his book. _Penelope Prouding's Potions of the 16__th__ Century- Potion Theories. _She looked up at him. "So you still… do potions? Why do you own an Inn?"

"I like my privacy, Miss Grang- Weasley. I can have that here, but I am still a Potions Master. It's still where my interests are, and I still brew in my spare time." She nodded.

"So, um Sir, can I ask you a question? Where have you been since the war? Does anyone know you're here? Why Godric's Hollow? Is it because of Lilly Potter? Why do you own an Inn? I don't understand… I know you want privacy, but you could get that elsewhere. Why haven't you returned to Hogwarts? I know you would be welcome. You're a war hero, Professor, and you're here, managing an inn. Why are you selling yourself short?" He looked at her with such anger that she stopped talking.

" I see you haven't changed, Granger. Your thirst for information is just as annoying as it was when you were eleven. However, I thought you were smarter. You married Weasley. You work as a secretary," He responded coldly. "I read the _Prophet_, Granger, and I was unpleasantly surprised to discover that you've made nothing of yourself. You have been playing homemaker for a blundering idiot, and you believe that I am selling myself short? I advise you to reflect on that. And I will not have you invading my privacy with your incessant questions." She looked down at her plate, embarrassed. When she glanced back up, he was gone.

Hermione was embarrassed, she was hurt, but she was surprised. Snape had sounded almost disappointed with her, which was more than she expected him to care. She was ashamed, because he was right. He hit the nail on the head; she had sold herself short. She couldn't help but feel, however, that Snape was hiding something. He had avoided all of her questions, even the simpler ones. Severus Snape was hiding something, and Hermione was going to find out what it was.


End file.
